The landslide triggered by heavy rain hit the comune of Casamicciola Terme early on Saturday morning, flooding homes and sweeping away several cars.

At least one person died, and ten others remain missing after the incident, according to local reports.

“The situation is very complicated and very serious because probably some of those people are under the mud,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said.

The civil protection department said rescue operations remained complicated because of the weather conditions, adding that the search continued into the night using searchlights.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the headquarters of the Civil Protection for the latest updates.

“Today at the Civil Protection for updates and to stay in touch with the operational offices that are providing assistance in Ischia,” Meloni wrote on Twitter.

“I renew our gratitude for the institutions that immediately mobilized and for the heroic rescuers who are helping the populations,” she added. (ILKHA)